THIS is not about Patrick Ewing being a warrior, as I’ve read recently in too many weepy testimonials to the “Big Fella” — from fans and columnists who continually kiss up to Ewing.

Ewing is no warrior for rehabbing through all his injuries across the past 24 months. That’s what he gets paid well to do. Garden president Dave Checketts did not lavish a then 34-year-old Ewing $68 million over four years to be anything less.

Checketts knew Ewing’s creaky body was on the path toward breaking down but he also knew he could count on Ewing to work hard at coming back.

No, Ewing’s not a heroic warrior to make it back from Achilles tendinitis, just a smart businessman making sure he gets every last dime of his $68 million contract.

What Ewing has become over the seven games since his return, however, is a team player. And that is rather shocking considering his bizarre behavior during his latest rehab during which he barely spoke to his teammates about his progress nor gave updates to his superiors regarding a potential return date.

Ewing is still a jerk for being Scrooge to autograph-seeking kids on “Game Days.” (His latest excuse for not signing on game days is that he’s “superstitious”. Weak.)

And Ewing’s still way off base for blaming the Big Apple’s tabloid media for his increasing unhappiness in New York, as if it was Post colleague Kevin Kernan — and not Andrew Lang — who pushed Ewing to the floor in Milwaukee two years ago, breaking the center’s wrist.

But let us simply judge Ewing today for the seven games he’s played between the lines since returning Dec. 10. And this is the only statistic you need to know when judging Ewing — 6-1.

Yes, Ewing has fit in magnificently as shown by the Knicks’ record since his return. Much of it has to do with coach Jeff Van Gundy’s smart use of Ewing, who is averaging 30.3 minutes per game and isn’t getting his number called out like in the past.

For anyone concerned Ewing would drag the team down and take away from the GenX Knicks of Latrell Sprewell, Allan Houston and Marcus Camby, forget it.

The Knicks, 17-10 and on a 51-victory pace, are surging — sorry about the choice of word, Jeff. Ewing has helped chemistry considerably, making the Knicks the deepest team in the East with another chance to prove it Christmas night in Indiana.

He’s been a vibrant role player in the Knicks recent climb up the Eastern Conference ladder, playing within his limits. Ewing is deferring at all the right times, staying out of Houston’s and Sprewell’s way when the two shooting guards are on a tear. In seven games, I can think of maybe once or twice when Ewing took a poor, ill-advised shot but never when it mattered. He’s averaging 9.5 shots a game.

So what if he won’t admit he’s no longer the first option on offense or he’s no longer “a great player,” as he defiantly called himself last week. He’s been a “great” team player and that’s all that should matter to “The Big Fella.” He has shown it every time he steps on the court, playing less selfish than at anytime during his Hall of Fame career. This is the way it has to be for the Knicks to get another crack at San Antonio.

As Spree said late Wednesday night, after Ewing emerged from nowhere to hit the game-winner with 21.3 seconds remaining, “We’re going to need Patrick to win it all.”

The numbers are taking shape and they are exactly where they should be. Ewing is averaging 12.3 points and 9.0 rebounds. Take away his understandable 0-for-14 start that was an accumulation of two years of rust and he’s shooting 50.9 percent (27 for 53).

Ewing had that magnificent night in Houston last week when he dropped 20 points on the Rockets. He had that 18-rebound game Monday against Charlotte when he took two shots during the game’s final 19 minutes as Spree and Houston went wild.

On Wednesday against Vince Carter’s Raptors, Toronto chose to double-team him until the final minute. The Knicks needed a basket and Van Gundy diagrammed a play for Houston in the post with the game tied.

Latrell Sprewell screwed up the play, but on an audible, point forward Larry Johnson bounced it to Ewing on the high post. He turned and drilled a fallaway jumper over Antonio Davis — maybe the sweetest shot of this Knick season.

Ewing finished with eight points, all the points they needed from him on this night and on many nights in the future. The other day, Van Gundy talked about keeping Ewing’s playing time to around 32 minutes, wondering if he went longer it was worth the “tradeoff” because of his bad knees.

Superstars don’t play 32 minutes but Ewing should and will. Perhaps it’s finally dawned on the stubborn Ewing. This is how it must be to win his ring.